Have Natural Gas Appliances? Implement These Critical Safety Tips

Learn what to do if there’s a gas leak, know how to maintain your gas appliances, and other important information

This
past September, natural gas leaks from too much pressure in delivery pipes
caused dozens of houses to explode in three Boston suburbs, injuring at least
20 people and causing a death. While gas leaks are rare, with natural gas used
in half of American homes,
it’s important for many Americans to take key safety measures.

Gas Leaks

While
infrequent, gas leaks can cause explosions. If you smell the rotten egg odor of
gas:

Get out immediately, taking all people
and animals with, then, once out, call
911 and the utility company, urges the American Gas Association (AGA).

Avoid causing any type of spark, which
could cause the gas to explode, warns the AGA. This means: Do not turn off/on
anything (even a light switch). Do not use a flashlight. Do not light a
match/lighter. Do not use a telephone inside the house. Do not start a car in
an attached garage.

If
you do any digging in your yard, to plant a tree or install a fence, for
instance, call 811 beforehand. The utility company will come out and stake off
the location of underground gas lines so that you do not rupture any while
digging, which could cause an explosion.

Appliance Safety

Many
appliances run on natural gas. The key to safety is to ensure that a licensed
natural gas contractor installs these correctly, which includes setting them up
to properly vent. All gas appliances should bear the mark of safety testing,
such as UL. You’ll also need to regularly maintain these appliances.

Do
it yourself maintenance includes cleaning dryer lint after every use, and
regularly ensuring that nothing blocks dryer and other appliance vents. In
addition, check your furnace filters monthly and change as necessary, and
follow these other appliance maintenance tips.

Once
a year, have your heating system, water heater, and any other gas, oil, or coal
burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician, recommends the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Additionally,
the Federal Emergency
Management Agency
says that if you have appliances that use natural gas, install natural gas
detectors on every floor of your home. These will detect leaks and sound an
alarm before you can smell the gas.

Carbon Monoxide

Burning
fuel in vehicles, small engines, stoves, grills, fireplaces, gas ranges, or
furnaces produces carbon monoxide, notes the CDC. This can cause a dangerous
build up indoors, which can injure or kill people and animals.

Know
the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can include: headache,
dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. If you
breathe in a lot of the gas, it can make you pass out or kill you.

To
prevent accidental poisoning, install a carbon monoxide detector in your home that
bears the UL Mark.

“The reality is that
carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless and deadly,” says Barb Guthrie, UL vice
president, in a related article. “A carbon monoxide detector will identify
when you have a toxicity level in your home that requires you to evacuate. If the
alarm goes off, get out and call the fire department. They will come measure
for carbon monoxide and let you know when it’s safe to re-enter your home.”

Check
your detector monthly using the “test” button. Replace the batteries once a
year when you change back clocks at the end of daylight saving time.

The
CDC offers these other tips for avoiding carbon
monoxide poisoning:

Never use a gas range or oven for heating,
which can cause a build-up of carbon monoxide inside your home, cabin or
camper.

Never burn charcoal indoors, which can
cause a dangerous buildup of carbon monoxide.

Never use a portable gas camp stove
indoors for the same reason as above.

Never run a generator inside your
home, basement or garage. Also, always make sure a running generator is placed
at least 20 feet from any window, door or vent. Look for the new generation of
generators,
which produce less carbon monoxide (but still must follow these rules).

Natural
gas appliances can make our lives easier and better – but we need to be smart by
applying these safety tips.